Community Chat

[ECBG]

I would hazard a guess that it goes back to the Latin wich supports so much of modern day language.

[PA Mom-mom]

---

@Shanus wrote:

---

@Desertdi wrote:

Q  also has that sound (mostly in foreign words:  like Qatar)

---

@Desertdi   In English, can't think of an instance where a Q is not followed by a U.

---

@Shanus  qintar, qindar, qaid... there are others as well. I'm sure Scrabble players have them memorized.

[Foxxee]

I think spelling took precedence before the rules and exceptions.

I wonder if educators many years ago looked at the English language, saw some patterns and came up with rules.  They also saw exceptions and came up with rules for them; however, there are too many exceptions for example, i before e, for it to be a sound rule.  

Education has always done that with other disciplines.  Breaking down everything into categories, groups. dissecting, looking under an electron microscope thinking, "We'll make it easier to learn the English language by teaching this stuff", but in doing so made it more difficult. 

However, I think it's easier to learn how to spell words than it is remembering the rules and exceptions.  Will those having difficulty with spelling remember the rules to help them?

For those wondering why a K is used for kitten, again it appears to stem originally from origin and spelling.

Mentioned previously, over 60% of our words are from Latin; however, where did the other 30+% come from?

Why is kitten spelled with a K?  From late 14 century  kitoun, the young of a domesticated cat, probably from an Anglo-French variant of Old French khitoun.  

I won't go into all the other numerous irregularities of the English language because I'd be writing a book.  

[Shanus]

If you think English is tough, try learning French. The nouns are male or female. What's up with that?

[Ladybug724]

Great question! And what's up with "W"? Why is it called "Double-U" when it should be called "Double-V"?

[sunshine45]

---

@Ladybug724 wrote:

Great question! And what's up with "W"? Why is it called "Double-U" when it should be called "Double-V"?

---

the french got that right @Ladybug724 .

they call it "dooblehvay" (double V.)

[sunshine45]

---

@Porcelain wrote:

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

so who knows why we use them together if the sound is the same?

tackle.....pick......tack.......pickle.....packer?

---

I think that has something to do with the type of vowel sound. Pike = long I sound. Pick = short I sound. Bake = long A sound. Back = short A sound.

---

perhaps @Porcelain , but then couldnt back be just "bak?" 

[Porcelain]

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

---

@Porcelain wrote:

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

so who knows why we use them together if the sound is the same?

tackle.....pick......tack.......pickle.....packer?

---

I think that has something to do with the type of vowel sound. Pike = long I sound. Pick = short I sound. Bake = long A sound. Back = short A sound.

---

perhaps @Porcelain , but then couldnt back be just "bak?" 

---

You got me there. Chickens do say bok bok bok though, so there's that at least.

[Sooner]

---

@Porcelain wrote:

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

---

@Porcelain wrote:

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

so who knows why we use them together if the sound is the same?

tackle.....pick......tack.......pickle.....packer?

---

I think that has something to do with the type of vowel sound. Pike = long I sound. Pick = short I sound. Bake = long A sound. Back = short A sound.

---

perhaps @Porcelain , but then couldnt back be just "bak?" 

---

You got me there. Chickens do say bok bok bok though, so there's that at least.

---

@Porcelain Uh, I always thought chickens said "bwak bwak" like some people pronounce coffee "cwaffee."  

[Porcelain]

---

@Sooner wrote:

---

@Porcelain wrote:

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

---

@Porcelain wrote:

---

@sunshine45 wrote:

so who knows why we use them together if the sound is the same?

tackle.....pick......tack.......pickle.....packer?

---

I think that has something to do with the type of vowel sound. Pike = long I sound. Pick = short I sound. Bake = long A sound. Back = short A sound.

---

perhaps @Porcelain , but then couldnt back be just "bak?" 

---

You got me there. Chickens do say bok bok bok though, so there's that at least.

---

@Porcelain Uh, I always thought chickens said "bwak bwak" like some people pronounce coffee "cwaffee."  

---

Lol Must be the regional chicken dialect.